“Help Me Stop Procrastinating!”

“Dear Pam,

I have this great idea for a small business, but can’t seem to get going on it. When it is time to work I find myself finding other things to do. Like watching TV or getting on Facebook or Twitter. My favorite show can come on television and all plans to work on my business go out the window. I hate my current job, but that doesn’t seem to be motivation enough for me to get going. Can you put a fire under my butt because somehow, I’ve fooled myself into thinking that what I want will magically happen and that I’m not wrestling with procrastination instead?”

Signed, I’ll Do It Tomorrow

Dear “I’ll Do It Tomorrow,”

Yep, you are definitely dealing with procrastination, but you knew that already. First of all I can’t light any fires under your butt. I think you are expecting more from me than you are expecting of yourself, but I can advise you to ask yourself a few questions.

Do you really want to do what you have dreamed of?

Are you afraid of failure? Or are you afraid of success? If neither of these are your problem then maybe being the success you dream of seems so far away that you are self-sabotaging. You might subconsciously think that….I have all these dreams, but can I actually do this? You can, you just need a different perspective. It may seem cliché, but you are who you think you are. If you think you are successful, you will be successful, and just the opposite.

Sometimes when we put things off it is because the goal seems so far away due to the tasks it takes to be a success.

To you there seems to be a million and one things to complete to be the success you dream of and you can’t see a light at the end of the tunnel. Make a list of everything you need to do, if this seems to daunting, write out a daily to-do list. Make short term goals that will put you closer to your long-term goal.

My celebrity inspiration is Beyoncé. I love her music and she is beautiful, but what I love most about her is her work ethic. Love her or hate her, the one thing that no one can dispute is her tenacity to work and work hard. I put on some of her music and it fuels me. I feel energized enough to work on my craft. Now I know you know that anything worthwhile takes hard work. There is nothing magical about it. So get to work.

Sensible Homework:

Make a short list of things you can do that will move you toward your goal. Work on one task each day until you finish the list.

Make another list.

Have you ever been faced with a similar situation?

If there is anyone out there who has had a similar experience, let us know in the comment section and tell us how you solved your problem.